Automatic block system for preventing collisions on railways.



A. J. ICARD.

AUTOMATIC BLOCK SYSTEM FOR PREVENTING GOLLISIONS 0N RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1912.

Patented -A101. 28, 1914.

Inventor A.J. Imml NOGRAPH C0,, WASHING ANDRE JOSEPH ICAED, OF TOULON,FRANCE.

AUTOMATIC BLOCK SYSTEM FOR PREVENTING QOLLISIONS ON'RA ILWAYS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 21, 1912.

Patented Apr. 22%, 191%.

Serial No. 685,242.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that l, Axum: Josnrrr TCARD, acitizen of the Republic of France, residing at Toulon, France, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Block Systemsfor Preventing Collisions on Railways, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to automatic block systems for preventingcollisions between railway trains, and has for its object to provide asingle construction of a device of this kind, which will be efficient inoperation and will not getout of order.

In the accompanying drawing Figures 1, 1 and 1 are complementary figurestogether forming a side view of a portion of a railway provided with myinvention, and Figs. 2, 2 and 2 are complementary figures togetherforming a plan thereof.

The railway track is divided into sections or blocks of suitable length,and atthe be ginning of the sections track levers are provided, thetrack lever a at the beginning of the initial section and the tracklever 64 at the beginning of any succeeding section; while at the end ofthe terminal section a terminal track lever c is provided.

Each track lever has an upright portion, pivoted below the track rail,and a curved track portion extending above the track rail for contactwith the train wheel.

Ata suitable distance, in which a train may be conveniently stoppedbefore reaching respective track levers, guide frames Z), 6 and b areprovided, in which vertically move the respective stop-pins a, c and cactuated by the respective lifting levers (Z, [Z and (Z operativelyconnected with the lower free ends of the respective track levers a, aand a as will be explained.

The levers (Z, (Z and (Z are respectively mounted on rock shafts e, cand e respectively carrying upwardly pointing arms 7, f and F. The arm7' is connected by the link f/ with the lower end of the track lever a.The arm 1" is connected by the long link 9 to the free upper end of thepivoted lever h in turn connected by the oblique link 2" with the lowerend of the track lever a. The arm f is connected by the long link 9 tothe upper free end of the centrally pivoted lever 72/ the lower free endof which is connected by the lower link i to the lower free end of thetrack lever (4 Springs j, y" and j normally hold the respective levers(Z, cl and 6 in their lower position. and thereby hold the track leversin upper position.

= .oks Z1, Z2 and if, pivoted at their lower ends, are adapted to engageover the free end of the track levers a, c and a respectively, and arenormally held in engaging position, by the respective springs Z, Z and ZThe hooks 7c and 7c are adapted to be moved to disengaging position bythe depression of the succeeding track levers a and a respectively, asfollows: The free end of the pivoted lever m engages the hook andconnected by the link it to one free end of the pivoted lever 0, theother free end of which is connected to link 9 above mentioned. The hook7c is engaged by the free end of the pivoted lever m, which lever isconnected by the link a to the pivoted lever 0 in turn connected by thelink 7) to one free end of the lever g, the other free end of which isconnected to the link above mentioned.

Each locomotive is provided with a lever 1, located just behind thewheel guard s, of a suflicient length to strike against the stoppins 0,c and 0 This lever, when thus struck, operates, by means of a specialapparatus, the Westinghouse brake, the steam intake and the locomotivewhistle. This operation is efiected only when the line is closed and thestop-pin raised. Since many kinds of locomotives are used, it is thoughtunnecessary to describe in detail this special apparatus.

The operation of the system is as follows: The line being clear, alllevers (Z, d and (Z and the pins 0, c and c are in depressed positionand the track levers are in raised position. If new a train passes fromthe point 1 (at the left of Fig. 1) toward the point 2 (at the right ofFig. 1 the wheel will depress the track lever a, which will be caughtand held in depressed position by the hook it, whereby the pin 0, raisedby the depression of the lever a, will be held in raised position.raised position until the train has reached and depressed the next tracklever 64, whereupon the pin 0' will be raised and the track lever a, andwith it the pin 0, will be released by movement of the hook is. In likemanner, the succeeding track levers will be depressed and correspondingpins raised to be in turn released when a train enters the neXtsucceeding block. If by chance, a block be The pin 0 will thus be heldin i il nesses occupied. by a train, and therefore the pin with thepreceding track lever for releasing c, c or c at the entrance end ofsuch block be raised, another train entering such block, will engage theraised pin with the actuating lever 7', thus actuating the brake, thesteamintake and the whistle bringing the train to a. stand still.

The apparatus controlling the sect-ions may be placed either bet-ween oroutside oi the rails.

Moreover I reserve the right to introduce into this new system anychanges capable of increasing the safety of traveling which may actuallyresult from my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. In an automatic system for preventingcollisions, the combination of track levers each having an approximatelyupright centrally lulcrumed portion and a curved tread portion extendingabove the rail. track; vertical guide frames associated with therespective track levers; a stop pin in each guide frame; rightanglelevers each having a horizontal engaging portion under one of the stoppins. and a. vertical arm; rods connecting the upper ends of thevertical arms with the lower ends 0t said upright portions respectively;sprlng pressed clamping hooks adapted to engage over the ends of the re-I spective tread portions; and a rod connectf ing each t *ack lever withthe hook associated i the book when a succeeding track lever isdepressed.

in an automatic system for preventing collisions, the combination oftrack levers each having an approximately upright centrally fulcrumedportion and a curved tread portion extending above the rail track;vertical guide frames associated with the respective track levers; astop pin in each guide frame; right angle levers each having ahorizontal engaging portion under one of the stop pins and a verticalarm; rods connecting the upper ends of the vertical arms with the lowerends of said upright portions respectively; spring pressed clampinghooks adapted to engage over the ends of the respective tread portions;a rod con necting each track lever with the hook associated with thepreceding track lever for re leasing the hook when a succeeding tracklever is depressed; and springs depressing said horizontal portions; allof said levers and rods being without counterweights.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDRE JOSEPH ICARD.

Witnesses A. Bossier), L. VUY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1!). 0.

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